Hampton golf event nets $18K

HAMPTON — Dramatically increasing numbers are usually frowned upon in golf.

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By Kyle Stucker

seacoastonline.com

By Kyle Stucker

Posted Aug. 5, 2014 at 2:00 AM

By Kyle Stucker

Posted Aug. 5, 2014 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

HAMPTON — Dramatically increasing numbers are usually frowned upon in golf.

Not Monday, though. Over 70 golfers and 36 local businesses helped Experience Hampton Inc. pull in roughly $18,000 during its third annual tournament at Pease Golf Course.

All three totals are well above last year's event, and Experience Hampton officials are thrilled because the increased support is a sign the nonprofit's message and mission are spreading.

"Experience Hampton is starting to step forward in really taking a look at how we can improve the downtown Hampton area and what initiatives we can create to come up with types of ideas of things we would like to see in downtown Hampton," said John Nyhan, president of Experience Hampton. "People used to say, 'Experience Hampton does the (Christmas) parade and that's all.' I think over the course of this last year people have started to realize we do a lot more than (just that)."

Experience Hampton is in its fifth year of existence. In that time, the group's members and directors, all of whom are Hampton residents, business leaders or town officials, have worked to make Hampton a better place to live and promote the things the town already offers.

Donations have been steadily increasing since that time as the group has added additional events and efforts to its plate, the largest of which is the "2020" plan, which was announced earlier this year.

The 2020 plan, developed by Galley Hatch owner and Experience Hampton Vice President John Tinios, is designed to bring businesses, residents, organizations and the town itself together to improve downtown's aesthetics and accessibility by the year 2020.

The first phase of the 2020 plan focused on getting the ball rolling on those efforts, and it has done just that over the past several months.

Nyhan said over $5,000 worth of donations have already come in for the cause, and the goal is to raise between $100,000 and $150,000 between now and 2020.

That money would be used for small town projects or to match large grants for work in the area, and Nyhan said events like the golf tournament have brought individuals together to really make strides on the project.

"We're very fortunate to have the business community support our efforts," said Nyhan. "They're realizing the money (could do a lot of good)."

The golf tournament's funds go directly toward the annual Hampton Christmas Parade, which this year will be held on Dec. 6.

Nyhan said this year's tournament, which raised approximately $4,000 more than last year, will help bring additional organizations into the parade and potentially allow Experience Hampton to "fund one or two major groups that will be kind of like the highlight of the parade."

The planning for this year's parade begin within the next two weeks, during which the theme will be chosen and announced, according to Nyhan.